A classic ballet by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky performed by students and graduates of the Prague Dance Conservatory.

With the first notes of Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky's music, the stage comes to life and transforms into a fairy-tale kingdom. Prepare for a night-time adventure where dreams become reality. Little Clara receives an extraordinary toy for Christmas – a Nutcracker. She has no idea that as midnight strikes, her toy will awaken and take her on an extraordinary journey. Together, they embark on a quest into a magical world where the Nutcracker battles as a valiant prince against the evil Mouse King. Their journey leads them to the Kingdom of Snowflakes, where dance creates a delicate, shimmering landscape, through exotic realms filled with butterflies and birds, and ultimately to the Kingdom of the Christmas Fairy. There, Clara is welcomed by a rich tapestry of colours, music, and dance.

The Nutcracker ballet is full of pure joy, love, and the magic of Christmas. Immerse yourself with us in a world where imagination knows no bounds and where even the most ordinary toy can become a hero.

The Prague Dance Conservatory has been shaping the face of Czech dance art since 1945. It is the oldest and largest school of its kind in the Czech Republic. Over nearly eighty years of existence, it has nurtured generations of artists who shine on both national and international stages as dancers, choreographers, ballet masters, and educators. The school's students regularly achieve success in international competitions and bring dance to festivals and concert stages all over the world.

The ballet The Nutcracker was created at the end of the 19th century and remains one of the most famous and frequently performed ballets globally. The premiere took place on December 18, 1892, at the Mariinsky Theatre in Saint Petersburg. The music was composed by Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky, with a libretto based on Alexandre Dumas's adaptation of E. T. A. Hoffmann's story 'The Nutcracker and the Mouse King.' The choreography for the original version was created by Lev Ivanov, a collaborator of the famous Marius Petip a. Initially, The Nutcracker did not enjoy the same success as Tchaikovsky's previous ballets (Swan Lake, Sleeping Beauty), but during the 20th century, it gained immense popularity, particularly due to American and European companies that began staging it during the Christmas season.

Today, The Nutcracker is considered a symbol of the holiday season and a staple in the repertoire of all major ballet companies. Its enchanting story of young Clara, the magical Nutcracker, and a dreamlike world filled with dance and imagination embodies the ideal of childhood dreams, joy, and the beauty of music and movement. It is a perfect fusion of dance, music, and theatrical magi c – continuing to inspire countless new productions worldwide.

Interestingly, at its premiere, The Nutcracker received a rather lukewarm reception – critics at the time considered the plot too childish and lacking in classical ballet elements. Tchaikovsky himself was initially unenthusiastic about the subject matter, but as we know today, his music became legendary. Back then, he wanted to feature a new musical instrument: the celesta, which produces a sound like magical bells. Thanks to its enchanting chime, he used it for the Dance of the Sugar Plum Fairy, which ultimately became one of the most famous moments in all of ballet.

Self-guided audio guide: 

The Hybernia Theatre hides a surprising secret. It began as a 14th-century monastery. Irish monks, the “ Hibernians ”, later built a Baroque church here, which became an imperial customs house and finally today’s musical stage. The streets around it are just as full of stories – from Count Sporck, who brought Vivaldi’s operas to Prague, to a medieval toilet hidden in a bookshop.

This self-guided audio walk feels less like a recording and more like a stroll with a local friend who happens to be an art historian. She points out details you’d walk past, shares stories you won’t read anywhere else, and keeps asking: what do you think?

It takes you through almost 900 years of history hidden beneath the heart of Pragu e, at your own pace.